(American Agave, Variegated American Agave)

The American century plant forms enormous rosettes of fleshy, spiky, blue-gray leaves. These desert natives of Mexico and the southwestern United States are highly tolerant of heat and drought.

In summer they produce fragrant, yellow, feathery flowers that emerge from tall erect stems. These attract bats and birds, however plants may take up to 35 years or more before they bloom. Once a rosette blooms, it will die. Though plants produce vegetative offsets, called pups, which can be divided and...

(American Agave, Variegated Century Plant)

The American century plant forms enormous rosettes of fleshy, spiky, blue-gray leaves. These desert natives of Mexico and the southwestern United States are highly tolerant of heat and drought.

In summer they produce fragrant, yellow, feathery flowers that emerge from tall erect stems. These attract bats and birds, however plants may take up to 35 years or more before they bloom. Once a rosette blooms, it will die. Though plants produce vegetative offsets, called pups, which can be divided and...

(American Agave, American Century Plant, Variegated American Century Plant)

What a dramatic succulent for the southwestern landscape. The American century plant forms enormous rosettes of fleshy, spiky, blue-gray leaves, and the cultivar ‘Variegata’ has the added feature of variegated leaves with a thick ivory band down the center of each enormous leaf. This desert native originates from Mexico and the southwestern United States and is highly tolerant of heat and drought.

In summer it produces fragrant, yellow, feathery flowers that emerge from tall erect stems. These...

(Caribbean Agave, Narrowleaf Agave, Narrowleaf Century Plant)

This is one of the most architectural agaves for the landscape due to its striking rosettes of narrow leaves with fierce black spines. Narrowleaf agave is a long-lived evergreen perennial native from Sonora, Mexico southward to Costa Rica. In the wild it is found in a wide range of arid environments, so it is widely adapted to varying soils and exposures. Like other century plants, it only blooms at the end of its life span, so it is grown as a foliage plant. The species came into cultivation very...

(Narrowleaf Agave, Narrowleaf Century Plant, Variegated Caribbean Agave, Variegated Narrowleaf Century Plant)

This is one of the most beautiful variegated agaves. Its striking rosettes of narrow leaves are soft seagreen edged in cream.

Narrowleaf agave is a long-lived evergreen perennial native from Sonora, Mexico southward to Costa Rica. In the wild it is found in a wide range of arid environments, so it is widely adapted to varying soils and exposures. Like other cenury plants, it only blooms at the end of its life span, so it is grown as a foliage plant. The species came into cultivation very early...

(Gray Agave, Gray Century Plant)

Silvery blue-gray rosettes of sharp serrated leaves and a cast iron constitution make this a vivid architectural plant for arid landscapes. This succulent evergreen perennial originates at middle elevations in the mountains of Central Mexico. It was widely cultivated in pre-Columbian times by indigenous people who grew it around the home.

The showy leaves are stiff, wide and bear the interesting impressed outlines of toothed leaves as they unfold from the plant’s central cone. The long leaves...

(Foxtail Agave, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Kara's Stripes Century Plant, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Nova Century Plant, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Cow's Horn Agave, Cow's Horn Century Plant, Smooth Century Plant)

The genus Agave has more than 200 species of desert-loving perennials with dramatic, structurally interesting foliage. They are all from the warmer regions of the New World, mostly Mexico and Central and South America. They are beautiful ornamentals and important plants for food and utility.

Agave have fleshly leaves that form rosettes close to the ground or occasionally atop very short stout stems. The leaves may be thick and leathery, linear or sword-shaped, wide or narrow...